Nature Sketcher

The Stenner Glenn cafeteria looks over a lake, and students has been known to stare out for amazingly large, wild animal.

In the 2 years that I have been here, I have seen large wide cats, families of raccoons, duck, giant fishes as long as 3 ft, blue jay, swan, crane, large hawk (I think?), and even vultures.

Yet nothing beats today. 2 large deer, wild and free, right outside, nibbling on grass, less than 10 feet from me.

I really wish i have my camera with me, or at least one of those cell phone with camera function (one of the few times when I care about what function my camera have. Usually, just being able to call is enough) You certainly don’t get that in the city, or even in the suburban area very regularly.

Alas, nothing beats the time when I found a mountain lion was shot a few street from my home during freshman. So much for being safe from wild animals in the city.

Updated: My days in the cafeteria has just gotten better. There’s my favorite dessert in the entire world:

Cheesecake.

I love the Stenner Glenn Cheesecake. They are not like the regular ones, either. They are not cut into pie shape, but into thin square pieces instead. They have some jam-syrup on top, with dark graham-texture chocolate crust. Now, pair them with the Peets tea bag – can you say heaven?

Unfortunately, the topping is cherry this time. I love real cherry, but I hate the artifical overly-sweet cherry toppings with a passion. I will just scrap it off, I guess.

They are also out of Peets tea bags – both the Earl Grey and Breakfast blend. The only one left is a peppermint blend – which I also hate with passion (Mint, Peppermint, and Artificial Cherry all tops on my most hated taste list). They have some Starbuck Tazo tea bag – one peppermint, one passionate. I took the less evil choice – passionate. Still, it’s too sour to pair with the cheesecake.

Fortunately, they have changed into Peets coffee this year. (It used to be just Starbuck coffee and teas). I am going to pair my cheesecake with Peets Sumatra coffee. It will still be a bad match – the coffee is left to stale for too long – but it is be the lesser of all evils

By the way, smooth, rich, creamy desserts like cheesecake are best paired with heavy, well balance, medium roast coffees. The most common choices are Sumatra and Yemen Mocca. If it’s really creamy, then Italian roast or French roast espresso would be a even nicer choice. In cases like cheesecake – which is more toward the smooth, creamy cheese taste, Italian would be better. French would be better for more nutty, fruity desserts.

Dear Blog,

We had a blackout at Stenner Glenn and Mustang Village yesterday in the middle of the night.

……

Where’s the Milkyway?

*Pouts*

Stenner Glenn seriously needs to update their drainage system!

I swear, you can pretty much swim pass our building entrance. Well, not really, but you get my point.

I can, however, literally hear screaming. People raining through rain, jumping through puddle, and all that fun stuff.

It’s been pouring this two days.

It was a bit sunny this morning, so I walk to campus without a umbrella.  I have one in my studio on campus, so I wasn’t worry about the trip back.

It was a short walk, so what could happen?

Little did I know what horror awaits me.

I was right between school and my dorm, with no building as cover – and it just pour! In less than 30 minutes, it was raining like no tomorrow. Unfortunately, our school buildings are all very much separated with no covered walkway connected – tempted to find the architect and kick – I was completely drowned in rain by the time I got to my studio. Water was dropping off my hair and glasses. If I swing my head like a puppy dog (which I did), water would splash like you see in TV.

This really goes to show how important the little detail is in construction. It’s not just that the water don’t drain, but the ground is tilted in a way that make the water gather exactly outside of the front entry to the dorms. The ground is not big enough to absorb the water before it turns in a miniature pond.

I am going to swim over to the cafertia now. But worry not, because I have my boots and umbrella this time around.

Dear Blog,

For the first time since I have been in Stenner Glenn, I have an Ice Cream Sundae Bar to use during dinner.

……

*Throws confetti and does weird, unknown tribal dance*

For dinner, I had:

A seared filet of fresh Salmon with Lobster-Saffron Sauce (It sounds great, but it really isn’t anything spectacular)

2 steamed Broccoli (Taste horrible, as always)

Warm Ciabatta Bread with butter spreaded by moi

Camomile Tea

A bowl of watermelon and grapes

A small bowl of chocolate cereral, with whole milk, as always

A Strawberry and Vanillia with Pecan Sundae, topped by chocolate sauce, M&M, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and sweet baked apple slices

I am like Allen Walker in D. Grayman! Gotta love my high metabolism!

Now I only need to make up for my lack of sleep, and I will be in Heaven (Only had 3 hours of sleep)

*More weird, unknown tribal dance while laugh like a maniac*